The spin was my mistake - Vettel

Sebastian Vettel admitted his spin on the 32nd lap of the Hungarian Grand Prix was his mistake but said the timing of the first safety car had already put him on the back foot.

Vettel started the race in second place but finished seventh, which was also the position he dropped to after the first safety car period. On lap 32 he had a dramatic spin coming out of the final corner and only just managed to avoid a nasty collision with the pit wall.

"It wasn't a great race," he said. "I spun, which was my mistake, and before that I was unlucky with the safety car in the first stint. The timing meant the first four cars lost positions to those running behind. Unfortunately we were then in the wrong mode for the restart and I lost two positions. It's good for Daniel [Ricciardo] that he won today, I'm happy for him."

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said Vettel's race was one of damage limitation.

"Sebastian's afternoon was much more frustrating. Unfortunately, after a good start and some good battles, he got the call at the same time as Daniel to pit after the Caterham had an accident, but was too far round the last corner to make it into the pit lane.

"He then had to stop under the safety car which meant he lost some places. He was making progress but then had the spin and managed to avoid the pit wall, but he flat spotted his tyres and then had a problem at the restart. It was then a question of damage limitation, trying to run the hard tyres to the end of the race and he did a phenomenal job to keep Bottas behind him."